As Vassily (Billy Gunnion) prepares for his ordination into the Orthodox Church in the 1982 USSR, he is visited by a KGB agent that pressures him to out his roommate, who is suspected of being a homosexual. Written and directed by Masha Egieva, St. Vassily is the story of how we can convince ourselves that one single immoral act is without any consequence and how easily moral corruption is spread.
Vassily is a by-the-book seminarian who discovers his absent roommate, Roma, is reading an Oscar Wilde novel. Whispers and innuendo begin to spread among the seminary as to Roma’s whereabouts. Vassily is quickly confronted by a KGB agent named Fyodor (Michael Shaeffer), who knows more than he lets on. Fyodor follows Vassily around the campus until he confronts Vassily with a choice. He can either sign a document confessing to knowledge of Roma’s hidden homosexuality, or he will see to it that Vassily is not ordained a priest.
Vassily is now faced with the moral dilemma of losing his dream of becoming a priest and sacrificing a friend to an unknown but indeed perilous fate. He seeks counsel from an older priest, Father Kirill (Hugh Ross), who reminds him that “the people” are the most important focus of a priest. Although Vassily believes homosexuality is a sin and that he should act in the best interest of the Church and its people, he is fearful that giving into the KGB’s demands one time may open the door to a lifetime of submission. As Harrison Ford says in Air Force One when it comes to negotiating with terrorists, “If you give a mouse a cookie…”
“Fyodor follows Vassily around the campus until he confronts Vassily with a choice.”
St. Vassily is a beautifully shot film that captures the USSR’s coldness and claustrophobic political atmosphere. Billy Gunnion’s performance as Vassily is an impressive example of expressing inner turmoil. There isn’t much for him to do in this short film other than walk the halls of the seminary, and yet his eyes, as seen most fully in the film’s final shots, reveal his terror at the realization that his sins may be forgiven. Still, they will ultimately not be forgotten and cost him his soul.
It’s almost a relief to watch a film focusing on Christianity that doesn’t revolve around the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. Egieva’s decision to focus on the orthodox church during the 1980s is more of a condemnation of communism than corruption within the church. However, it successfully illustrates the ripple effect that a single priest’s action can lead to catastrophic rot. It’s well-paced and edited for a 13-minute film.
Although it could easily be expanded to a 2-hour run time, the story says everything it needs to say without becoming overindulgent or lost in pretentious ideas. If you’re thinking of watching Conclave, I’d choose St. Vassily instead and use the remaining hour and 47 minutes to get a nice nap in, go to church, or whatever you’re into.
"…a beautifully shot film..."
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